‘Tariff increase to ease load-shedding’

Bianca Leboho Herald Reporter ZESA Holdings lost copper cables worth over $12 million last year but the utility is switching to aluminium which has a lower street value. Speaking at a Zim-Asset stakeholders meeting held in Harare recently, Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira said vandalism was costing Zesa heavily. “We are now changing from copper to aluminium due to the large number of thefts and vandalism of copper wire lines as a result of the high street value associated with it. Last year alone we lost $12 million due to vandalised and stolen copper lines. Vandalism and theft are the biggest contributors to the revenue loss we experience”, he said.

Mr Gwasira said load-shedding would soon be a thing of the past if Zesa was allowed to increase tariffs. “Currently, we have tried to ensure that load-shedding becomes a historic subject in Zimbabwe. As it is from January up to now the country has not experienced load- shedding except in areas affected by faults.

“We have been importing power from Mozambique and Eskom at prices of 15,5 cents and 13 cents respectively and this has contributed to the current good power position the country is experiencing.

“However, for us to completely do away with load-shedding there is need for the tariff increase that we applied for to be approved. That is the only way we can guarantee total eradication of load-shedding.”

Mr Gwasira said Zesa was doing everything within its capacity to address the problem of faults.

“Faults have been a constant challenge in Zimbabwe. We currently have a backlog of 3 000 transformers in the country because of financial problems.

“We are, however, trying to solve this. We have acquired 500 fault trucks meant to aid the fault initiative,” he said. Mr Gwasira appealed to the public to report cases of illegal electricity connections saying such activities posed a risk to energy users.

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last year herald reported that electricity tariffs would go down and you justified as mega deals signed were to take off. Less than two months into the year , they are going up to justify easing load shedding. Really? How can you easy load shedding for something you don’t have? Zesa continues to import and with international currency flactuating its unlikely the problem will go away anytime soon. Just another way of stealing money from the suffering people as is the norm in the troubled nation.

Worried

With people losing their jobs, companies closing among a host of other challenges are facing how do u justify the increase in tariffs, who is earning a lot of money that u want to increase the tariffs, how dare u want to syphon the little that people have, It is clear people are struggling at the current tariffs yet you want to increase the tariffs again. I dont think its humane to take such a move. My thinking is reduce the tariffs and people will pay in numbers and clear their arrears, people will be motivated and in no time they will clear your debts.

Rawboy

Eletricity tariffs ought to rise even higher untill the rest of the country is also electrified.Why should a small minority be the sole beneficiaries of what is in effectively a national asset ?

Chihombori

a higher tarrif does not mean we wont get load shedding ,this was the reason used to offer the public prepaid meters,its logical therefore to say zesa has a high cost base or there is rampant looting because simple mathematics would tell us zesa is able to collect higher revenue as at anyone go they have money stored or held not backed by usage but by a pledge to provide electricity of which that pledge can be delayed by outages ,2 .exchange rate parities in terms of how much they pay to import is always in their favour,unlike escom importing at rand crossrate .so a tarrif increase is not justified as we use US dollars here and we prepay not pay per use.like nssa zesa employees and executives shld cut their perks

E Makhate

Zesa please improve efficiency by reducing technical and non technical losses. . Import equipment direct from manufacturers and not through third parties in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Zesa must recruit those employees who left to improve services. At the moment everyone at Zesa wants good perks. . What a joke